As I mentioned in my first article about my visit to Pisa, last year, the favorite photographer, our friend Borey, and I went on a 12-day road trip in Tuscany during September 2019 (from late August to mid-September, to be precise). During this 2nd stop, we visited the city of Lucca.
And I must say that I completely fell in love with this city, which is also the birthplace of the composer Puccini. It is, I think, an essential stop on any trip to Tuscany. The city has so much charm and many cultural as well as gastronomic attractions!
To tell you a little more about this trip as a whole, we chose to do a loop while traveling through Tuscany, which is one of the 20 regions of Italy and whose capital is Florence. Our arrival and departure point was the city of Pisa because we flew with Easyjet (see my article on Pisa for details).
I have put a small map below with our various stops in Tuscany so that you can get an idea of our itinerary (and why not recreate it if you like it).
_
Table of Contents
How to get to Lucca?
For our part, we came by train from the city of Pisa to spend the day in Lucca, and we left the same evening for Florence, where we were staying.
To get from Lucca to Florence, we took a bus from the Vaibus company and it only cost us €7.60 per person. The bus doesn’t necessarily drop you off in the center of Florence, but we reached it on foot quite easily in the end. There are 4 different stops in the city of Florence + 1 stop at the Florence airport as well.
In addition, the bus station where the buses stop is located right next to the Tourist Office where we left our luggage, which is very convenient!
Pisa - Lucca Train Travel time: about 30 minutes Price: ticket at €3.60 / person VaiBus Lucca / Florence Bus Travel time: about 1 hour Price: ticket at €7.60 / person
_
Presentation of the city of Lucca
The precise origins of the city of Lucca are still discussed by archaeologists today. What we know is that the Roman part of the city was founded in 180 BC at the end of a bloody war against the Ligurians.
The city of Lucca then developed significantly in the 19th century under the impetus of two important women: Elisa Bonaparte (sister of Napoleon) who was Princess of Lucca, and Maria Luisa of Bourbon. The two women did much to transform the old medieval city into a modern city, including the promenade on the city walls and a brand new aqueduct to fill all the fountains of Lucca with water from the nearby Monte Pisano.
Lucca was also one of the most important cities in Europe for the production of precious silk garments. You can learn more about this history at the Palazzo Mansi (the national museum), but unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit it.
My tip: if you are only spending the day there like us, you can leave your luggage at the “luggage storage” of the city’s Tourist Office (€1.50 for 2 bags for 1 hour / €3 for 2 bags for 2 hours / €4.50 for 2 bags for half a day / €7 for 2 bags for 1 day).
Lucca Tourist Office / Information Point Vecchia Porta San Donato - Piazzale Verdi open from April 1st to October 31st from 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM / and from November 1st to March 31st from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM
_
Things to do and see in Lucca
There is a huge amount to visit in Lucca, whether in terms of museums or monuments. But I also advise you to take the time to walk around the city, which is truly magnificent. And particularly to get lost in the alleys of the historic center!
For our part, we had chosen to spend only a short day in Lucca (arrived at 10:30 AM and departed around 6:00 PM) and I think it really wasn’t enough. I would recommend that you spend a full day with a night on-site, or even a day and a half in the city.
Other ideas of things to visit in Lucca (that we didn’t have time to do) if you have more time than us:
- The Palazzo Mansi: The national museum that recounts the production of precious silk garments in Lucca.
- The Museo del motore a scoppio: Did you know? The inventor of the internal combustion engine was from Lucca. His story is told in this small museum.
- The Palazzo Ducale: The manor of the Princesses of Lucca where you can visit the main halls and the small perfume theater.
- The Cattedrale San Martino: it is the main church of the city. The first building dates back to the 11th century, but it has been restored and expanded several times until the 16th century. Inside, the sarcophagi of Ilaria del Carretto, wife of Paolo Guinigi, lord of the city during the Renaissance, and the Holy Face, a miraculous wooden crucifix, are preserved.
_
Visit the Torre Guinigi and the Torre delle Ore
Only two towers remain of the many that stood in the medieval city. From there, you can have a wide view of the city and its surroundings. These private towers had a defensive vocation and were there to protect the city.
The Torre Guinigi is the most important and most visited in the city. It is built of stone and brick and is 45 meters high. At the top, there is a charming hanging garden with majestic oak trees that crown the building. It is an absolute must-see!
At the top of the Torre delle Ore, you can see the mechanism of an 18th-century clock. The latter also gives its name to the tower, as it is called the Clock Tower. It is also the tallest in Lucca, acquired by the government in the 14th century, and in 1390, it was decided to turn it into a clock tower.
Here again (as I told you in my article on Pisa) we continued our favorite activity of the trip: climbing many steps inside towers and monuments of all kinds. The advantage of visiting both towers is that each time it allows you to have a superb view of the other tower.
Torre Guinigi
Via Sant'Andrea, 45, 55100 Lucca
Torre delle Ore
Via Fillungo, 20, 55100 Lucca
Prices: single ticket 1 tower €5; reduced €4 / combined ticket (the 2 towers + Botanical Garden duration 2 days) €9; reduced €6 / free for under 6s_
Visit the Church of San Michele in Foro
This Romanesque-style church is located in the center of the ancient forum of Lucca, on the Piazza San Michele. Its beautiful facade dates back to the 12th century and includes sculptures, most of which were modified in the 19th century.
Also, don’t miss in this church admiring an early work by the Renaissance painter Lippi: the four saints (Girolamo, Sebastiano, Rocco, and Elena).
Church of San Michele in Foro Piazza San Michele, 55100 Lucca free entry
_
Go see the Piazza Anfiteatro
It is the most popular square in Lucca, the most famous, and also the most photographed because it is unique. Indeed, it was originally the site of the Roman amphitheater of the city (dating from the 2nd century AD).
In the 19th century, the architect Lorenzo Nottolini completely restructured the area to create an unusual urban space. He kept the elliptical shape of the amphitheater and respected the asymmetrical line of the buildings which, over the centuries, had settled on the ruins of the Roman monument.
My advice: stand in the middle of the square and turn around on yourself until you feel dizzy, quite a feeling!
_
My good addresses in Lucca
I must say that in less than a day we unfortunately didn’t have much time to test many addresses, but apparently, I was told that in the Via Santa Lucia and in a small corner behind Piazza San Michele, one could find food shops quite interesting for lovers of Italian gastronomy.
_
Where to go shopping?
Via Fillungo is well known for being the ancient Roman “cardine massimo,” one of the main roads of the city and the city’s commercial center. Here you can find many clothing and food boutiques.
On the road, there are even some of the oldest shops in the city. Take a look at “Carli” jewelry. It was once a tapestry and clothing boutique, and now it is one of the most popular jewelers in the city.
_
Where to have lunch in Lucca? Da Ciacco
We loved this address unearthed by Borey on Instagram, which offers delicious Italian sandwiches at very, very fair prices. The products are top-notch and the setting is great, especially if you manage to sit on the terrace like we did, to enjoy the atmosphere of the Napoleon Square which is just opposite.
To accompany all this and enjoy this nice moment, we savored a small, very refreshing Aperol Spritz.
Da Ciacco Piazza Napoleone n°10 Lucca Price sandwich (€7) + Spritz (€5)
_
Thanks to Antonella from the Lucca Tourist Office who helped us visit Lucca and organize this day as best as possible.
I hope that with all this, I have made you want to visit Italy, the Tuscany region, and Lucca. And if you also have your own tips for this destination, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments!
Find all my articles on Italy below:
⇒ All my articles on Italy
MY STOPS IN ITALY
⇒ Weekend in Rome
⇒ The Aosta Valley
⇒ Tuscany
MY ITINERARY IN TUSCANY (2019)
⇒ Step 1 Pisa
⇒ Step 2 Lucca
⇒ Step 3 Florence
⇒ Step 4 Siena
⇒ Step 5 Valdichiana Senese
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos not royalty-free, photographer's authorization mandatory before any use
